Walk A Little Straighter
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: Walk a little straighter, Mama, she thought. You're leading me.


Okay, the idea for this came from thinking about Olivia talking about her mother, and this came to me. The song I chose for this is Walk A Little Straighter, by Billy Currington (the words have been changed from Daddy to Mama to fit the story) Enjoy, and please remember to review.

Disclaimer: They, sadly, are not mine. I tried to file for joint custody, but I was denied. Go figure.

This little songfic is for kinseyjo, who called me her hero and is following in my footsteps. You're doing great, junior grasshopper. Keep up the good work!

Olivia Benson sat in her bedroom, playing with her dolls as she wondered when her mother would be home. She hoped that she didn't smell bad tonight, because if she did, she knew that her mommy was going to hurt her again. She had made sure that the apartment was clean and dinner was on the table before she went to her room, and now she was waiting to hear the sound of the key in the front door.

A few minutes later, she heard the key in the door, and she jumped off of her bed and ran to the front door, standing there as the door flung open and her mother stormed by her. Olivia timidly followed her mother as the older woman staggered and swerved about, eventually falling face first into the couch and passing out.

Used to this occurrence, Olivia calmly wrapped her mother's plate up and placed it in the refrigerator. Then she tugged a blanket over her mother's snoring form, bending over to kiss her cheek.

"Night, Mama," she whispered, then she turned around and headed back to her dark bedroom. At the door, she turned and said, "Tomorrow, walk a little straighter, Mama. Please."

_I remember looking up to look up to her _

_And I remember most of the time, she wasn't there _

_I'd be waiting at the door when she got home at night _

_She'd pass me by to go pass out in her chair _

_And I'd say, "Walk a little straighter, Mama _

_You're swaying side to side _

_Your footsteps make me dizzy _

_And no matter how I try _

_I keep tripping and stumbling _

_If you'd look down here, you'd see _

_Walk a little straighter, __Mama _

_You're leading me"_

Thirteen years later, Olivia Benson stood behind the curtains of the stage, hiding from all of the lively chatter of her classmates. Today was supposed one of the greatest days of her life: the day she graduated. But for her, it held another meaning altogether. Today was the day that she would be escaping her mother for good. After eighteen years, she would finally be free. She had already been accepted into a good college, and until then, she would be staying with a good friend.

Her life would finally be hers, and all she had to do was get through the next few hours.

Ahead of her, one of the teachers shushed the noisy seniors, and they knew that it was time to start. Silence fell over the group, and a single file line was quickly formed as they began to walk across the stage.

Finally Olivia was on the stage, and she watched in horror as her mother stumbled into the gym, weaving and staggering around. She could tell that her mother was drunk, and humiliation stained her cheeks.

A few moments later, her mother stumbled back out of the gym, and Olivia gave a small sigh. Of relief or disappointment, she wasn't sure. Walk a little straighter, Mom, she thought as her mother disappeared out of her sight. She lingered on the thought for a moment longer before she heard her name being called for her to receive her diploma.

"Olivia Benson," the principal called, and Olivia inhaled deeply and held her head high as she walked across the stage, accepting the diploma and shaking the hand of the principal before quickly walking off of the stage.

Gripping the diploma tightly in her hands, Olivia walked out of the gym and into the sun, ready to start her life.

_She stumbled in the gym on graduation day _

_And I couldn't help but feel so ashamed _

_And I wasn't surprised a bit when she didn't stay _

_She stumbled out before they called my name_

_And I thought, Walk a little straighter, Mama _

_You're swaying side to side _

_It's not just me who's watching _

_You've caught everybody's eye _

_And you're tripping and stumbling _

_And even though I've turned eighteen _

_Walk a little straighter, Mama _

_You're still leading me_

Olivia closed her photo album and placed it back in the closet, sighing softly before she closed the closet door. Her mother had been gone for more than ten years, but sometimes she still felt that she was that little sad eyed girl, waiting for her mother to return home from a day of binge drinking.

"But I'm not," she reminded herself softly as she stepped away from the closet.

"Not what, sweetheart?" a deep voice rumbled, and Olivia found herself being held tightly in her husband's strong arms. She relaxed against him and covered his hands with hers where they rested over her large belly.

"Just reminding myself that I'm not my mother," she answered softly, and he gently turned her around in his arms and looked down into her eyes, touching her cheek tenderly.

"Liv, sweetheart, you're not your mom," he stated firmly, wrapping his arms tightly around her as if to shield her from the unpleasant memories of her childhood. "You're nothing like her."

She rested her head on his chest and inhaled deeply, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She opened her mouth to say something, but a small voice interrupted her.

"Mommy?" her son Elliot asked, tugging on the leg of her pants. She smiled and leaned down, picking him up and holding him tightly in her arms.

Elliot smiled at her and kissed her forehead, saying, "See, Liv? You're nothing like your mother. You love our kids more than anything. Anyone can see that."

She nodded a little, then kissed her son's cheek and said, "What do you want for dinner, Elliot?"

"Macaroni and cheese!" he proclaimed with his father's grin. Then he reached his small hand down and rubbed her belly, saying, "And the baby wants macaroni and cheese too, Mommy!"

She laughed and said, "Of course. Come on, sweetheart. Let's go make dinner." She gently set him on the floor, then took his small hand in hers as they walked out of the bedroom.

_The woman was just like she always was _

_But I loved her anyways _

_And if I learned one thing from her _

_It's that my kids will never have to say_

_Walk a little straighter, Mama _

_You're swaying side to side _

_Your footsteps make me dizzy _

_And no matter how I try _

_I keep tripping and stumbling _

_If you look down here, you'd see _

_Walk a little straighter, Mama _

_You're leading me_

No, Liv, you're nothing like your mother, Elliot thought as he watched her lead their son out of the bedroom.

He leaned against the frame of the door as he thought over the past ten years, and how much she had changed from the woman she was when they met to the woman she had become. He had once hated her mother and father for inflicting that kind of pain on her, but now he was grateful. Grateful that she existed, and grateful that their paths in life had led them into each others arms.

"Elliot? You coming?" he heard her call, and he chuckled and walked out of the bedroom. Yes, he was very thankful, indeed.

_Yeah, walk a little straighter, Mama _

_You're leading me_

The End

A/N: Okay, what did ya'll think? Good? Okay? Review and let me know, bunnies!


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